Authority Reaches 1 Million Pounds Mark on Recycling

July 12, 2017

The Wetzel County Solid Waste Authority's recycling efforts, initiated in June of 2013, will reach the the milestone of one million pounds collected by the end of June 2017, according to the Authority's Executive Director Terri Tyler.

Twenty-nine percent of the material collected was cardboard, and 27 percent was paper, including newsprint, office paper, junk mail, and shredded paper. Fourteen percent was books and magazines, 10 percent was glass and eight percent was plastic. Bi-metal cans, commonly referred to as tin cans, came in at two percent and aluminum cans came in at one percent. Additionally, separate collections held by the Authority yielded 11,000 pounds of white goods and 49,000 pounds of electronic recyclables.

"Without the public's support and participation, this accomplishment of one million pounds would not have happened," said Authority chairman Mark Cochran. "We are grateful to the public for their support, and we are grateful to the Wetzel County Commission for its support."

Article Photos

Photo ProvidedThe Saturday recycling crew, at Wetzel County Solid Waste Authority, sorts through materials dropped off by area residents.

"If you bring all your recyclable materials to our Saturday collections, your newpapers and magazines and books you wish to discard, your plastic containers and cardboard and junk mail and glass containers and tin cans, you will see the amount of trash you put out for collection decrease by at least half and more likely by three quarters, " Cochran continued. "We like to have containers rinsed and free of residue. We need to have things clean."

Additionally, the Authority encourages businesses to bring their recyclable materials to the Saturday morning collections. "There are about six businesses that bring their recyclables to us every Saturday," said Cochran. "It's primarily cardboard we receive from businesses."

"Of course, also essential to the recycling project's continued success is our excellent crew," said Cochran. "We have a crew of 10, with six or seven working every Saturday." Two of the crew also work during the week collecting and processing materials collected from the school system.

Twenty-six percent of the material collected by the Authority comes from the schools and the school maintenance facility.

The Wetzel County Solid.Waste Authority collects recyclables every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Authority's location at 250 North Street in New Martinsville. Call 304-455-5262 for more information.